Food Waste Friday: Pumpkin and Pecans

On Fridays I take part in Food Waste Friday, hosted by Kristen over at The Frugal Girl. It’s a way to use public accountability to reduce the amount of food wasted in our homes. It’s proving quite effective 🙂

A couple of items wasted and a couple rescued. I’d like to think this balances itself out, but waste is waste and I’m working towards zero food waste (I did achieve this twice last year so I know it is not only possible but repeatable :))

The container of applesauce I had left in the nappy/snack bag after returning from a playground trip with the boys one morning earlier in the week. Although I took everything else out that needed to come out of the bag (I always leave nappies, wipes and a first aid kit in there) I missed this under the nappies. We definitely would have eaten this if I hadn’t forgotten it was in there…boo hoo 😦

The roast beef slices are another regrettable waste. I have been stream lining my sandwich making/lunch prep system to avoid wasting lunch meat. It’s mostly working but obviously still needs attention. I waste lunch meat from time to time, particularly the roast beef slices because usually only James and I eat them. I usually freeze all the packets of lunch meat I buy and then defrost just what I’ll need for the week. Like I said, it has been mostly working. I’ll keep tweaking this system and let you know how it goes.

I did have a nice rescue for a couple of items that needed using up. I had some canned pumpkin and some pecans and decided to try new recipe for crockpot Pumpkin Porridge (oatmeal for my American readers, and thanks Rosalyn for the recipe). It was my first venture into using steel cut oats and it was very successful. Only the boys and I ate it but we enjoyed it for three straight days for breakfast and lunch. Ethan has been asking me to make more so I might just have to use another can of pumpkin soon.

Of course this will mean left over pumkin (it’s a big can) and I might just have to make pumpkin cookies to ensure it doesn’t go to waste. I know…it’s a hardship. The things I do in my efforts for zero food waste, but if I have to make and eat cookies then I’ll do it for the cause 🙂